Civil War Medicine

The Civil War cut short approximately 700,000 lives and left thousands more with debilitating injuries. Drawing from real stories of the Seminary Hospital, these lessons explore the experiences of surgeons, nurses, and nearly 700 wounded United States (Union) and Confederate soldiers as they faced mass casualty situations. In the crucible of the war, American doctors uncovered new knowledge about the human body and built frameworks of care that are still used today. Lessons in this area examine the construction of scientific knowledge during the Civil War and assess the true human costs of conflict.

Virtual Interactive Lessons

Google Slides and PDF Lesson Plans

Civil War Emergency Care

Discover how the American Civil War ushered in a new era of battlefield medicine. Far from being the “medical Middle Ages,” the conflict revolutionized forward care for wounded soldiers, ambulance transportation, and triage.

Virtual Museum Experiences

ThingLink walkthroughs of Museum exhibits

Steeped in Sorrow and Death (1 of 2) - Civil War Medical Care

Stand within the oldest building on the Lutheran Seminary campus in Gettysburg, which served as one of the battle’s largest and longest serving hospitals, and discover the origins of Civil War medicine.

Steeped in Sorrow and Death (2 of 2) - Civil War Casualties

Stand within the Seminary Hospital and discover the stories of those who were wounded and killed at the Battle of Gettysburg, including the nature of their injuries and where they went for treatment.

The Wounded

Stand within the Seminary Hospital and discover the stories of its first patients, offering a glimpse into first aid, triage, and the early stages of medical care on a Civil War battlefield.

The Surgeons

Stand within the Seminary Hospital and discover the stories of surgeons, patients, and military medical facilities where amputations changed men’s limbs and lives.

The Nurses

Stand within the Seminary Hospital and discover the stories of nurses and aid societies as they cared for wounded soldiers during and after the Battle of Gettysburg.

The Survivors

Stand within the Seminary Hospital and discover the stories of its survivors, including George F. McFarland, a Pennsylvania lieutenant colonel who was the final patient to leave.

Corroborating Primary Sources

ThingLink explorations of firsthand historical accounts

“Lizzie” Chritzman’s Secret Surgical Kit

Interact with a postwar newspaper story that describes the work of local heroine Elizabeth “Lizzie” Chritzman, who reportedly smuggled a Gettysburg physician’s surgical kit behind Confederate lines so that U.S. Army doctors could perform life-saving surgeries at the Seminary Hospital.